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It only took two weeks for tickets for Soup for the Soul, Bread for the Clinic to sell out.

The annual event is a fundraiser for the Summit Community Care Clinic, featuring a night of soup dinners donated by local restaurants, a silent auction and education about the clinic and the patients it serves.

Held at the Copper Conference Center, the space holds a little more than 400 people, and tickets go fast. Event organizers were able to squeeze in one more table this year. The event raised $60,000 for the clinic in 2012, and $70,000 in 2013. This year, the goal is to raise another $70,000.

Spicing it up

Now that the event is in its seventh year, organizers decided it was time to mix things up and add to the evening’s entertainment. There are three ways to donate to the clinic throughout the evening — through the Raise the Dough campaign, the Take Out program and the silent auction.

Raise the Dough features four local personalities and pairs challenging activities with the support of several clinic programs. Each of the four contestants was filmed going through the introductory course at Woodward at Copper. Between bouts of tumbling, trampolines and flipping into foam pits, they discuss the specific programs they’re supporting.

“It’s a good way to educate our guests at the event and it’s a way to make it a little more fun,” said Brandi Thompson, development specialist for the Community Care Clinic.

Jamie Fitzsimmons, of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, is supporting the dental programs; Kasey Geoghegan, of The Summit Foundation, is supporting the health coaching program; Roman Moore, of Krystal 93, is supporting the behavioral health program; and the clinic’s own Gini Bradley is supporting the school-based health centers.

After all the clips have been shown, event attendees will be able to vote for their favorite candidate by donation.

“It makes it feel more exciting to give money,” said Thompson about the interactive nature of the campaign. “Then you feel like you’re connected to a program.”

The Take Out program is another way participants can donate to the clinic, and take away a little something of their own. This is the third year for the program, which features 78 restaurant gift certificates that can be bought in increments of $20.

Also returning this year is the silent auction, with items ranging from low-end bargains to high-end splurges. “(There’s) a great variety of things to look for and shop for,” Thompson said. She added that the items come from all around Summit County.

“We get great community support every year.”

The event is family friendly, with a relaxed atmosphere focusing on casual conversation and learning about the clinic programs.

“We like to think of it as a simple, homey event,” she said. “It’s definitely Summit County casual (attire). … I would say it’s a really fun, lively, humble event. It feels very comfortable, like a big family.”

‘friend-raiser’

In addition to fundraising, the event’s goal is to raise awareness for its programs and for the needs it serves throughout the community.

“It’s a fundraiser and it’s also a friend-raiser,” said Thompson. “Yes, the goal is to raise money to support the (clinic). It’s also to share our mission, get to know new people in the community, introduce our work, build new relationships. … It’s a great way that we get to meet new people.”